Review: 2008 Mongoose Khyber Super
Words by Ed Snyder.
Spring 2008 has sprung and with the change of season comes the welcome news that the sound of chains hammering on chainstays are reverberating off the Whistler mountainsides once again. Soon enough the upper reaches of the snowpack will fade away and the Khyber Super’s namesake trail (Khyber Pass) will be open for business. As gleeful as news like that should make me feel, it will also make me a little bit sad: I already had to ship the Mongoose Khyber Super back to its rightful owners. So I will be left with only dreams about how sweet it would have been to crank a classic Whistler run on this very capable machine.
After taking some time off from crafting high-end mountain bikes, Mongoose decided to move back in to the new-school scene and they did so quietly at first. They put out a few new mid-level models, developing their Free Drive suspension technology and listening to riders talk about what worked and what should go in the bin. This mindful approach led the company to understand that mountain biking has changed significantly since their last go-round. Riders needed something new to tackle the different challenges presented in modern technical riding. It was obvious they needed a bigger stick. The Khyber Super is Mongoose’s vision of that stick.
The 2008 Khyber Super
Mongoose paid attention to the fact that bigger is not, in regards to mountain bikes, always better. They aimed to create a durable and capable machine without just tossing extra frame material at it. The approach focused on applying lots of material where it was needed the most and keeping an eye out to shave weight everywhere it wasn’t essential. The end result is a sub 35lb. bike that has 165mm of travel and the stiffness to be pounded through the nasties.
The bonuses of this approach are readily apparent: the Khyber is compact and flickable in the air, it climbs better than anything this DH-capable should be allowed to, and best of all you don’t really feel like you are giving much up. There are some sacrifices to be made (Disney didn’t make the bike so we are not talking about magic here) but they are well-disguised and I’ll cover them a little later.
The Khyber is available in two trim levels, the lower level Elite (available in blue/white fade), and the Super, tested here (clad in the brown/orange colour scheme). The two models share the same frame and it gathers more than a few looks on the trail. The engineers knew that if they were making a bike for the steep and deep runs it would have to track straight when the pilot pointed it downhill. To ensure this they started with a OnePointFive headtube and plenty of welds to bond it to a generous box section frame. When paired with the solid Funn stem and surprisingly rigid Marzocchi 55 ATA fork, the end result is as the designers wished it. When the going gets rough and you want a certain line, it is a simple point-and-go proposition.
I'll have a Khyber Super, on the rocks please. || Photo: Beck Snyder
The rest of the frame was not forgotten behind its substantial front end. The top tube is comprised of two vertical sections joined by tube-long welds on the top and bottom. It incorporates a slight bend to allow greater standover clearance and flares out as it approaches the seat tube to allow for a larger weld surface where the tubes meet.
Underneath all this welding wizardry is where things get really interesting. The Free Drive suspension shares a patent with the designs from Maverick and GT. At its heart is a floating bottom bracket arrangement, which means your feet move independently of the frame and the rear wheel. All three sections are joined together via links and work in unison to provide a very different feeling, but highly effective 165mm of rear travel.
This arrangement may look a bit like a plumber’s nightmare but it works as advertised. There is no significant suspension feedback at the pedals and brake jack is not an issue. Bobbing while climbing is very limited and can be all but eliminated by utilizing the well-placed lock-out switch on the top of the Marzocchi Roco Air TST R rear shock.
The Khyber frame is very compact and allows ample standover and downtube clearance. || Photo: Beck Snyder
The rest of the kit rounding out the Khyber’s spec is meant for business. It includes a SRAM X9 drivetrain (with the exception of a Shimano XT front derailleur) running through an MRP Long Range Patrol dual ring keeper chain guide, FSA Gravity Light cranks with a poly bashguard, Formula K24 hydraulic brakes mated with 180mm rotors, WTB Laser Disc Super Duty wheels wrapped in Kenda Nevegal 2.35 tires, a Funn bar and stem combo, Easton EA70 seat post and a WTB Pure V Race FR saddle perched on top like a cherry on a sundae.
Initial Setup
The only initial adjustments I made were to chop down the 710mm bars to a more knuckle-friendly 680mm and swap out the stock Mongoose bmx-hybrid bolt-on grips for a set of more familiar and comfortable Oury lock-ons. Pedals were not included with the test bike so I tossed on some trusty platforms and headed out to see how the whole package faired in the dirt.
The first challenge on any dual suspension rig is to dial the front and rear suspension to work for your weight and riding style and then hopefully make them play nice with each other. I was excited to get some time on the new Marzocchi fork as my time on their other suspension offerings lately has been limited to a few bike park laps on various 888s. I was encouraged by the low weight and the sturdy looking build.
The sturdy cockpit on the Khyber allows the rider to concentrate on the line rather than worrying about the consequences || Photo: Beck Snyder
Anxious to see how the internals handled, I set the air chambers to the recommended pressure and took a few test spins around the driveway. It didn’t feel right , and was very stiff initially. A quick call to Mongoose and Marzocchi reaffirmed I had the correct settings. We decided that I would try to ride the fork and let them know if the problem persisted, as this particular fork was from the first batch of 55s off the line and had been ridden hard at the Interbike Dirt Demo.
I headed to the Shore to give the ‘Goose a proper break-in and upon arrival found the fork to be even less compliant. After working through the settings and set-up, the fork still seemed locked up tight at recommended pressure and way too soft at any lower pressure. I decided to give it a go anyway and rode the Shore with a fork that was not performing as it should. Although I can’t recommend this approach and it required a lot of leaning way back on the bike, the fork did steer very well even under these worst-case conditions.
Upon my return home, I confirmed the need to ship the fork back to Marzocchi and have it looked at. The service was incredible. I sent the fork out via express on a Wednesday night and it was back at my local Fed Ex depot Friday evening having been inspected, cleaned and re-lubed. After that trip back to its makers, the 55 preformed beautifully and without fail. It held air pressure with no leakage, responded well to even subtle adjustments and was an all-around terrific piece of equipment. I was sad to send it back at the end of the test and would love to have one on the front of my personal ride.
Riding the Khyber
Having achieved peace with both the Khyber’s spec and suspension set-up, I set about riding it as hard as I could, as often as I could. I rode a ton of technical cross country on the bike averaging two to three rides per week through the heart of the winter. I managed some air time at local jump lines and in addition to the Shore rides, I snuck in a few other local shuttles when the snow level permitted.
The unique feel of the Khyber comes from its Freedrive suspension. When the rear wheel moves, the bottom bracket moves with it; not in a 1:1 relationship, but the BB does move backwards and upwards, helping to manage chain growth. This gives the action of the suspension a very different feel at the pedals than a single pivot system or even any linkage system I have swung a leg over. In this case it is not “different bad”, just different.
The Free Drive suspension and its beating red alloy heart; the Marzocchi Roco TST R || Photo: Ed Snyder
I thought it would feel more active at the pedal with another piece of the frame moving, but the result was actually the opposite. Initially I thought the rear suspension was not working through its full range, as the movement of the bottom bracket muted the overall feeling of movement at the pedals. Applying zip-tie to the rear shock confirmed all the travel was being used. In a way, this is exactly what suspension is supposed to do: insulate you from the bumps without isolating you from what is going on under your wheels. Once I got used to the feel of a little less active feedback at the pedals and started to trust that the back end of the bike was doing its job, things worked out just fine.
Getting the most out of the Khyber on the trail really depends on the rider using the tools this bike offers up. The Marzocchi 55 ATA lets a rider radically alter the stance of the bike simply by twisting the travel adjuster on the top of the right fork leg. The adjuster cap is well-designed and easy to turn even with gloves on. It is not a remote system so you will have to stop to do it, but you can spin the fork up or down through its full range of travel (125mm – 165mm) in seconds without tools.
You can make the Khyber do just about whatever you want if you twist this little knob. Don't you wish your boss came equipped with one? || Photo: Ed Snyder
Pairing the 55 up front with the Roco TST R out back gives the rider even more options. The Roco features Marzocchi’s Trail Selection Technology, letting the rider choose how active they want the rear suspension to be. There are five settings, ranging from a fully open/active on one end to locked out on the other. Again the adjustment knob is easy to find (directly on top and towards the front of the shock), and also very easy to adjust. Locking out the Roco makes the rear end nearly bob-proof and makes the Khyber behave like a fairly heavy hardtail. The shock retains a blow-off capability in case you forget to unlock before you drop in to the descent. It takes a large enough impact to activate that you will be reminded to reset the shock to a more pliable trim fairly quickly.
This suspension pairing gives the rider immense flexibility on the trail. Want to ride up that access trail you usually push? Drop the fork, lock out the Roco, slip in to the small ring and go until your lungs give out. Made it to the top and are ready to giver ‘er on the way back down? Spin the 55 back up to the full height, open the gate on the back end and you are ready for just about anything the trail can toss your way. This ability mixed with the relatively light overall weight of the bike led me to ride several of the uphill connector trails on the Shore with ease, past my pushing colleagues. My response to their question of “What’s gotten into you. billygoat?”… But really, why walk when you can ride?
For the majority of the time spent on the Khyber, I ran the front end at around 135mm and the Roco at about 30% of the shock stroke in sag with the TST set at one click up from fully active. This combo granted me very dependable performance in wide variety of conditions. I did a ton of pedaling on the bike and while I wouldn’t classify it a as snappy performer in super tight conditions, it is plenty capable. It delivered predictable handling and seemed to simply absorb most of the trail. Once you are used this feeling, it allows you to do nothing more than point the very sturdy front end, plant your butt on the seat and pedal.
While the Khyber holds its own on the technical uphills and the twisty flats, it is when the trail turns even slightly downwards that you see real purpose of its design show though. The bike comes alive as it picks up speed and challenges you to push it through corners. Keeping a neutral riding position and leaning ever so slightly on the front end causes the bike carve with a very balanced feel. As you approach the edges of the handling envelope, the bike remains even and reacts with slight and predictable oversteer, pushing with both wheels in unison once you have passed the limit. Pushing farther than that causes the rear tire to let go a split second before you loose the front, allowing once last chance to rein the bike in.
Formula brake testing commencing in 3... 2... 1... || Photo: Beck Snyder
One of the great discoveries for me in testing the Khyber was the excellence of the Formula brakes. I had not had any real time on Formula’s stoppers in about three seasons. The K24 brakes come with a terrific, natural-feeling wide lever that is easy for one-finger use, at least on my hands. The brakes themselves provide plenty of power and feature a well protected adjustment knob that lets you quickly dial the power up or down to exactly where you like it.
This clever little rotating adjuster on the Formula levers makes it a snap to dial in just the right amount of power. || Photo: Ed Snyder
The real test of any braking system on the shore is modulation. As Pirelli says, “Power is nothing without control”. The modulation on these brakes is as good as any I have ever used. There is no on/off, toggle switch feel. Just keep squeezing and the power keeps on coming, right up to locking the wheel. They ran quiet when warmed up and I never had to fiddle with calipers because of rub. I did not have any problems with fade, but as it was winter and the longer elevations runs were snowed in, I would not have expected to. As you can tell, I was very impressed with this set of binders. They were a perfect match for this bike and they saved my skin more than once.
Another small but significant feature it is the tool-free 20mm thru axle included on the 55 ATA. It is a snap to use (simply unscrew it to get it out and screw it back in when you are done) and had a super positive feel. It aligned the disc perfectly every time and could not have been any quicker or easier. Why can’t they all be like this?
Twist-'n-Go: the uber-easy and ultra positive 20mm QR lever on the Marzocchi 55 ATA. || Photo: Ed Snyder
So what’s not to like?
As I mentioned earlier there is no magic in this bike so the compromises that were made in its creation do appear from time to time. I really enjoyed my time on the bike but as always, there were some issues. Some of them will depend on where and how you intend to ride the bike, so apply your own filter when considering their impact.
Mongoose decided to focus on the front of the bike so you can really drive it through the rough stuff. It is solid as a rock. The balance of this given the bike’s light weight is that the back end is not as stiff as the front. While not at all spindly, you can find its limits when pounding through the rough spots. Once you max out the rear travel, the rear end has a tendency to twist slightly.
This is most likely due to the combination of the number of pivots, the chainstay and seatstay being fairly close together and the slightly lighter gauge of tubing used in back of the bike. 90 times out of 100 this will not be an issue, but when you are really moving and slam the rear end of the bike hard in to a big hit or square edged shot, it may rear its head. Acceptable? Absolutely. The bike works very well through its full range of travel which is well matched for its intended purpose. If you are going to being pushing beyond those limits on a regular basis, you might consider a steed more on the DH side of things.
The second issue was chain suck. On more than one occasion while shifting to the small ring under power I managed to catch the chain in the frame. I am not sure whether it is a result of the chainguide, the design of the frame or the chain line itself, but it did happen. It was never bad enough to do serious damage or require tools to remove, but it did stall a few climbs and take a few small nibbles out of the chainstay.
The Nevegal 2.35s are a fine tire for most of the riding I did but if you are going to be on the Shore exclusively or shredding long downhills more often than I did,you would be wise to consider a tire with a thicker sidewall.
The Kenda Nevegal tires stuck like glue here, but your results may vary. || Photo: Beck Snyder
The wide stock bars allow you to trim then down if you need to, but if you ride with trees near the trails “allow” becomes “make” pretty quickly. If you have tree slots on your regular runs, trim the bars down before your first ride. Your knuckles will thank me.
The issue I had with the Marzocchi 55 bears mentioning but it seems to be an isolated problem with only the initial small batch of 55s. After its trip to Marzocchi, the fork was terrific in every way.
Frame design on the Mongoose is unique to say the least. It has plusses and minuses all its own. On the plus side, you will not be smacking the downtube on anything. On the minus side, the link behind the bottom bracket collects and holds gunk (mud, pine needles etc.). It never interfered with function (suspension, shifting) but it was a pain to clean out after every ride. There are also a lot of pivots. While no slop developed in any of them over the course of my test, there was a bit of a creak starting to speak up towards the end. Riders pounding out laps in bike parks all summer might find issue with the multitude of hinges, but that remains to be seen. Mongoose does not note any issues and factory rider Andrew Cho has been slamming his around the Whistler hill for two seasons now.
Final thoughts
The Khyber Super is a terrific package for the rider who has space for only bike in the garage but likes to ride a wide variety of terrain. If configured properly, the bike can do everything from sustained technical climbs to prolonged pucker-inducing descents. It is relatively light, easy to jump, well-mannered both on the ground and in the air. It comes with a great parts package that is good to go right off the showroom floor. The bike has its limitations but they are easy to accept and work around depending on your own style.
Although it might not be ready to assume the title of "Shore super-weapon" quite yet, the Khyber Super is a certainly a solid statement that Mongoose is back on their game and a serious option to consider in the current landscape of modern moutain bike manufacturers.
- Ed Snyder
The 2008 Mongoose Khyber Super is available in three sizes: S (16.5"), M (18", tested), L (20") in the Brown and Orange fade. US MSRP for the Khyber Super is $2899.99.
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